Art. 20, Quant voy la revenue d’yver

ART. 20, QUANT VOY LA REVENUE D’YVER: EXPLANATORY NOTES

ABBREVIATIONS:AND: Anglo-Norman Dictionary; ANL: Anglo-Norman Literature: A Guide to Texts and Manuscripts (R. Dean and Boulton); BL: British Library (London); Bodl.: Bodleian Library (Oxford); CCC: Corpus Christi College (Cambridge); CUL: Cambridge University Library (Cambridge); IMEV: The Index of Middle English Verse (Brown and Robbins); IMEV Suppl.: Supplement to the Index of Middle English Verse (Robbins and Cutler); MED: Middle English Dictionary; MWME: A Manual of the Writings in Middle English, 1050–1500 (Severs et al.); NIMEV: A New Index of Middle English Verse (Boffey and Edwards); NLS: National Library of Scotland (Edinburgh).

7Feu de souche meisné. Literally “Household fire of large logs.” Revard reads the last word as meisue and translates it “mossy” (2005b, p. 859). This reading helps the rhyme but does not resemble the word for “moss” (see AND, mos), nor does it seem likely. The word is more probably meisné, “household,” which, compounded with feu, seems to mean “hearth fire.” For souche, see the French-based words in the MED, zouche (n.), “large log,” and souche (n.), “?a chimney-shaft.”

61gavigaut. The spice galingale. As Revard explains, this spelling in MS Harley 2253 is an odd error for what should be garingal (as in the Bern manuscript), a standard spelling for the spice galingale (2005b, p. 861).

69chanevaus. "On canvas [i.e., strained]." Canvas, a thick cloth, was used to strain boiled or braised foods. See MED, canevas (n.), sense 2(a), and examples given there from recipes. This meaning is, however, uncertain. The canvasback duck is not meant: this bird is only found in North America. If the word is a mistake for chanetans, then "ducklings" (French canetons) was intended. On this crux, see also Revard 2005b, p. 862.

105–10 These lines are hard to follow, but they may mean that the speaker habitually sleeps late after his feasting and drinking, and the innkeeper (his landlord?) recommends chestnuts as a nighttime remedy for his hangover.

139la sesoun retrere. Winter and the privations of Lent draw to a close, and the speaker grows less quiet, that is, more active.

148En verynz. “On weekdays, feria”; see MED, feria (n.), and AND, ferial (adj.). The word is another indication of the calendar day, with v substituted for f. Uncertain of the meaning of verynz, Revard tentatively proposes “[in a glass dish??]” (2005b, p. 866).

When I see the returnOf winter that so afflicts meAs the weather changes,Then I love a split log,The crackling coal,The blazing brands;The big-logged hearth fireSings with joy;Indeed I love it so much,My whole body sweats.

When bedtime comes,What surely pleases meIs a faggot in the hearth,Dry without smoke,Which burns entirelyAnd turns to embers.I quite often scratch myself(The worst is the spine!),For the flesh stinks a lot,And is ill-dressed in clothes.

I love greatly the daytime,For then, by means of heatChasing it so, the coldIs sent outside and is gone.This is my delight:To have a good bedOf white clothWith a fresh smell.

A thin blanketMakes me miserable,Wool not fur-lined — I don’t care for thatFor it’s of no use.I like the fires better:When I see the cold,I go to the fire;I like its play better Than two weighted dice!

When the winter extendsThrough the morning,Indeed, I’m sorely grievedBy the snow and frost,As into slick iceIt is transformed,Little slivers in the fog.

Some roasted boarFrom good pasturage,The loin unburnt,Thrust on a skewer — That’s to my taste!I’ve given all my holdingsFor one good morselWith a good claret,With a strong table wine — I much prefer thatTo smoky beer!

¶ I’ve much loved the tavern(There’s no reason to hate it!);I’ve given all my love To a flavored brewWith galingale,With zedoary,Mixed with hot pepper — It’s not badAround Christmas,Mustard with salted meat.

Cookies and cakes,Rissoles and waffles,Toasted golden brown.Partridges, plovers,Doves from dovecote.Woodcock is good to eat!

And larded chitterlings — I take for a fool any who putsHis goods in hockFor smoked tripe.For when I revive around noon,My innkeeper has a word with me: He says he recommends,At bedtime,A hot potOf peeled chestnuts.

¶ When Easter returns,I quit being quiet;I have tarts and flan madeTo close up the season.I dearly like muttonWith fat kidneys,So I have a lamb skinnedOut of its fleece,Intending toSpice it with crushed pepper.

¶ It’s good to have muttonWith leek potage, chicken,On weekdays,Goose fattened in a pen(Then newStains on tablecloth!),A roast head, after cooked goose,And a fat kid in lardWouldn’t displease me,To close up the meal,Pigs’ feet in sauce(From the cold storeroomAnd the upper sunroom),With spicy nutmegSprinkled on lightly — And then I send myself to sleep!

ART. 20, QUANT VOY LA REVENUE D’YVER: EXPLANATORY NOTES

ABBREVIATIONS:AND: Anglo-Norman Dictionary; ANL: Anglo-Norman Literature: A Guide to Texts and Manuscripts (R. Dean and Boulton); BL: British Library (London); Bodl.: Bodleian Library (Oxford); CCC: Corpus Christi College (Cambridge); CUL: Cambridge University Library (Cambridge); IMEV: The Index of Middle English Verse (Brown and Robbins); IMEV Suppl.: Supplement to the Index of Middle English Verse (Robbins and Cutler); MED: Middle English Dictionary; MWME: A Manual of the Writings in Middle English, 1050–1500 (Severs et al.); NIMEV: A New Index of Middle English Verse (Boffey and Edwards); NLS: National Library of Scotland (Edinburgh).

7Feu de souche meisné. Literally “Household fire of large logs.” Revard reads the last word as meisue and translates it “mossy” (2005b, p. 859). This reading helps the rhyme but does not resemble the word for “moss” (see AND, mos), nor does it seem likely. The word is more probably meisné, “household,” which, compounded with feu, seems to mean “hearth fire.” For souche, see the French-based words in the MED, zouche (n.), “large log,” and souche (n.), “?a chimney-shaft.”

61gavigaut. The spice galingale. As Revard explains, this spelling in MS Harley 2253 is an odd error for what should be garingal (as in the Bern manuscript), a standard spelling for the spice galingale (2005b, p. 861).

69chanevaus. "On canvas [i.e., strained]." Canvas, a thick cloth, was used to strain boiled or braised foods. See MED, canevas (n.), sense 2(a), and examples given there from recipes. This meaning is, however, uncertain. The canvasback duck is not meant: this bird is only found in North America. If the word is a mistake for chanetans, then "ducklings" (French canetons) was intended. On this crux, see also Revard 2005b, p. 862.

105–10 These lines are hard to follow, but they may mean that the speaker habitually sleeps late after his feasting and drinking, and the innkeeper (his landlord?) recommends chestnuts as a nighttime remedy for his hangover.

139la sesoun retrere. Winter and the privations of Lent draw to a close, and the speaker grows less quiet, that is, more active.

148En verynz. “On weekdays, feria”; see MED, feria (n.), and AND, ferial (adj.). The word is another indication of the calendar day, with v substituted for f. Uncertain of the meaning of verynz, Revard tentatively proposes “[in a glass dish??]” (2005b, p. 866).

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